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2011-2012 Faculty Sustainability Learning Community

Brian Avery, Biology:

I developed Fermenting Sustainability: a May term course that will introduce students to the science of fermentation and how fermentation can be used to transform both our daily lives and American culture from a resource intensive system that is increasingly fragile into one that is considerably more sustainable.

We redesigned ENVI 101 Introduction to Environmental Studies to incorporate sustainability more explicitly and thoroughly as the unifying theme of the course. We used a case study approach and included texts, films, and experts to help students explore topics from an environmental, civic and cultural perspective.

Nancy Panos-Schmitt and Doris Richards, Marketing:
We integrated sustainable thinking into marketing foundations including readings, discussions, and hands-on exercises to illustrate how real marketers rethink their practices. Our goal was to expose undergraduate students to the broad concept of sustainability of product, pricing, distribution, and promotion that will ultimately incorporate sustainable practices into organizations.

I took advantage of this workshop to prepare a syllabus for a new class called Environmental Anthropology. I was able to develop a good overview of the topics that will be covered in the class, create a group assignment, discover pertinent films and other forms of media, as well as a good selection of reading materials which will be useful for the class.

We are developing a minor in Sustainable Business for Environmental Studies majors and for Business majors. We are also researching the best practices in sustainability in MBA programs around the country.

Deyanira Ariza-Velasco, Spanish

Literature identifies with the goals of sustainability because it builds empathy. The critical points of view are: Ecocide (war of drugs, war of water), Ethnocriticism (Identity and Place) and Eco-tourism (slow travel vs. fast travel, i.e. walking the Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, Spain). I integrated sustainability into four 300-level Spanish courses to be taught over the next year.

I worked on two projects as part of this learning community. The first project intends to enhance the May Term experience course I am leading in May 2012: “Mediterranean Sustainability and Conviviality in the Global Age: Slow Food Movement and the Pleasure of Social Resistance.” The second project consists on the development of an upper level course in “Ecocritical Theory and Hispanic Studies” to be taught in Spring 2013.

I developed a climate sustainability project and discussion for ESS 205 as a result of my involvement in FSLC. This project entailed scientific research on a climate topic with insight into how climate change will impact pertinent climatic feed back. This was followed by an in depth discussion of climate sustainability and how we can promote food security, economic sustainability and ecosystem protection in light of a changing climate.

As part of our work, this learning community developed a set of criteria for what constitutes quality sustainability education. I evaluated the Environmental Center’s existing co-curricular programs based on these criteria and developed a plan for improvement.